Where are the stars of Fawlty Towers now after beloved legend's tragic death
Fawlty Towers was created by John Cleese and Connie Booth airing on the BBC for four years.
Where are the cast of Fawlty Towers now?
(Image: PA)The beloved British sitcom Fawlty Towers is lauded as the one of the best shows aired during the golden age of comedy. Starring legendary actor and comedian John Cleese, 86, the BBC Two show soon became a fan favourite with viewers. It originally aired between 1975 and 1979. The series is set in a dysfunctional hotel in the English seaside town of Torquay in Devon. The plots centre on the tense, rude and put-upon owner, Basil Fawlty (Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Prunella Scales), the sensible chambermaid Polly (Connie Booth), and the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs).
They show their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests and tradespeople. In 2019, Fawlty Towers was named the greatest-ever British TV sitcom by a panel of comedy experts compiled by the Radio Times. More than four decades since the show's release, Express.co.uk takes a look at where the star studded cast are now.
John Cleese - Basil Fawlty
John Cleese co-wrote the sitcom with his first wife Connie Booth, 84, and starred as protagonist Basil Fawlty. The actor starred in all 12 episodes across the two series. As well as his ground-breaking work with Monty Python, John starred in numerous films and TV shows, including A Fish Called Wanda, James Bond (as Q), and the Shrek and Harry Potter franchises.
Away from acting, the star previously presented a show on GB News, titled The Dinosaur Hour. Earlier this year, the 86 year old embarked on his comedy tour, "Not Dead Yet! John Cleese and the Holy Grail at 50", to mark 50 years of Monty Python.
John was previously married to his co-star Connie while in Fawlty Towers, the pair divorced in 1978. He went on to wed model and actress Barbara Trentham in 1981, but they divorced in 1990. The comedian married his third wife to psychotherapist Alyce Eichelberger, with the pair married between 1992 and 2008. John is currently married to model Jennifer Wade, with the couple tying the knot in 2012.
(Image: Getty)
Connie Booth - Polly Sherman
Connie played Polly Sherman in the popular show for all 12 episodes between 1975 and 1979. Although the show is written by herself and John, the on-screen star recently set the record straight as she confirmed "John wrote the dialogue". She told the Radio Times, "Before that dialogue was written, he and I developed the plots. Each episode took about a month to contrive. Out of the ridiculous complications of farce, his brilliant lines emerged.
"When the issue of billing arose, I thought 'Written by John Cleese, storyline by us both' would’ve been fine for me. John said they didn’t do that in TV comedy and insisted on co-authorship."
Before Fawlty Towers, Connie appeared in Dickens of London, Monty Python's Flying Circus and How To Irritate People. Following the BBC show, she went on to star in various TV shows and films, including Off to Philadelphia in the Morning, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Buccaneers, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Hawks and Leon the Pig Farmer.
She quit acting in 1995 and pursued a career in psychotherapy.
Connie has been married to her husband John Lahr since 2000.
(Image: Getty)
Prunella Scales - Sybil Fawlty
Prunella played Basil's long-suffering wife, Sybil. Also a manager at the hotel, it was Sybil who often stepped in to do the authoritative roles and handle difficult guests. Following her time on the show, the actress appeared in Alan Bennett's A Question of Attribution as Queen Elizabeth II, for which she was awarded the BAFTA for Best Actress. In recent years, she was known for appearing on TV programme Great Canal Journeys for Channel 4 alongside her late husband Timothy West between 2014 and 2021.
Prunella was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014. On October 28, 2025, her family released a statement saying the 93-year-old had died the previous day. The show had stayed with the actress, as her family shared: "Our darling mother Prunella Scales died peacefully at home in London yesterday. She was 93. Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home. She was watching Fawlty Towers the day before she died."
She was married to actor Timothy between 1963 until his death in 2024 and the pair share two sons.
(Image: BBC)
Andrew Sachs - Manuel
Andrew Sachs' role as Spanish waiter Manuel became an iconic part of the show. He experienced his fair share of drama producing the show and during the shooting of the episode "The Germans", he was left with second-degree acid burns due to a fire stunt.
The German-British actor is also known for roles in The Six Pound Walkers, History of The World: Part I and Are You Being Served? But after the sitcom, he landed various on-screen roles including Sidney in Minder, Josef Horowitz in Silent Witness and the voice Skagra in Doctor Who. He also appeared in Britain's beloved soaps, including Coronation Street, Doctors, Holby City, Casualty. One of his last roles was Cyril Bishop in EastEnders in 2015.
The star died in November 2016, aged 86. He was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2012, which left him unable to speak and forced him to use a wheelchair.
(Image: Getty)